Heat sink

ABSTRACT

A heat sink includes a base block, a plurality of upright panels horizontally outwardly extended from the base block in a flush manner, each two adjacent upright panels defining with the base block a space, a plurality of radiation fins respectively extended from the periphery of the base block and two opposite lateral sides of each upright panel and respectively suspended in each space between each two adjacent upright panels, a mounting member located at a distal end of each upright panel remote from the base block, a sub-upright panel extended from one side of each upright panel adjacent to the mounting member of the respective upright panel, and a screw-connection member located at a distal end of each sub-upright panel remote from the respective upright panel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to cooling technology and more particularly, to a heat sink for use in an electronic device to dissipate heat.

2. Description of the Related Art

As electronic components will generate a large amount of heat to affect their normal functioning during the operation, and therefore cooling devices are used to help cooling of the electronic components, maintaining the normal functioning of the electronic components.

A conventional cooling device is known comprising a heat sink, and an electric fan affixed to a top side of the heat sink with a mounting frame or other fastening device. Further, a mounting plate may be provided at an opposing bottom side of the heat sink for fastening the heat sink to a circuit board. Taiwan Patent M292733 discloses a cooling device comprising a heat sink, a fan mount affixed to a top side of the heat sink, and an electric fan mounted at the fan mount. The fan mount comprises a mounting post downwardly extended from each of four corners thereof, a protruding portion protruded from each of four sides thereof, and a hook upwardly extended from each protruding portion. The electric fan has a through hole at each of four corners thereof. The hooks of the fan mount are respectively hooked in the through holes of the electric fan to secure the electric fan to the fan mount. This design of cooling device needs the use of the fan mount for securing the electric fan to the heat sink, having the drawbacks of complicated structure and high cost.

Further, Taiwan Utility M324808 discloses a CPU heat sink, which enables an electric fan to be affixed to radiation fins thereof with screws that are respectively mounted in gaps between radiation fins. However, after a long use of the heat sink, the radiation fins can easily be deformed due to elastic fatigue, causing the electric fan unable to be firmly secured to the heat sink.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is the main object of the present invention to provide a heat sink that simplifies the mounting structure of the cooling device and reduces its cost.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a heat sink, which enables an electric fan to be steadily affixed to the top side thereof.

To achieve these and other objects of the present invention, a heat sink includes a base block, a plurality of upright panels horizontally outwardly extended from the base block in a flush manner, each two adjacent upright panels defining with the base block a space, a plurality of radiation fins respectively extended from the periphery of the base block and two opposite lateral sides of each upright panel and respectively suspended in each space between each two adjacent upright panels, a mounting member located at a distal end of each upright panel remote from the base block, a sub-upright panel extended from one side of each upright panel adjacent to the mounting member of the respective upright panel, and a screw-connection member located at a distal end of each sub-upright panel remote from the respective upright panel.

Other advantages and features of the present invention will be fully understood by reference to the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference signs denote like components of structure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an oblique top elevational view of a heat sink in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic applied view of the present invention, illustrating an electric fan mounted on the heat sink.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, a heat sink in accordance with the present invention is shown. The heat sink 1 comprises a base block 10, and a plurality of upright panels 20 horizontally outwardly extended from the base block 10. In this embodiment, the base block 10 is a rectangular prism; the upright panels 20 are respectively outwardly extended from the four angles of the base block 10. However, the shape of the base block 10 is not limited. Further, the base block 10 can be solid or hollow member.

The height of each upright panel 20 is equal to the height of the base block 10 so that the top surface of the base block 10 is kept in flush with the top surface of each upright panel 20, forming a plane. Further, each two adjacent upright panels 20 define with the base block 10 a space 30. The heat sink 1 further comprises a plurality of radiation fins 40 equally arranged in parallel and respectively extended from the periphery of the base block 10 and two opposite lateral sides of each of the upright panels 20 and respectively suspended in each space 30 between each two adjacent upright panels 20.

The heat sink 1 further comprises a plurality of mounting members 21 that are hollow posts respectively located at a distal end of each of the upright panels 20 remote from the base block 10, having a C-shaped cross section and respectively defining therein an axially extended mounting hole 22, a plurality of sub-upright panels 50 respectively extended from the upright panels 20 adjacent to the respective mounting members 21 and defining with the respective upright panels 20 a contained angle smaller than 180°, and a plurality of screw-connection members 51 that are hollow posts respectively located at a distal end of each of the sub-upright panels 50, having a C-shaped cross section and respectively defining therein an axially extended screw hole 52.

Referring to FIG. 2, an electric fan 60 is illustrated mounted at the heat sink 10. As illustrated, the electric fan 60 is attached to the top side of the heat sink 10 to keep the screw holes 52 of the heat sink 10 in vertical alignment with respective mounting through holes (not shown) of the electric fan 60 and to have a washer 70 be set between each screw hole 52 and the electric fan 60, and then insert screw bolts 80 through the mounting through holes of the electric fan 60 and the through hole of each of the washers 70 and thread the screw bolts 80 into the respective screw holes 52 to affix the electric fan 60 to the heat sink 1, and then insert screw bolts 80 through the mounting holes 22 of the heat sink 10 and thread the screw bolts 80 into respective screw holes (not shown) in a circuit board (not shown) to affix the heat sink 10 to the circuit board.

In conclusion, the invention provides an integral heat sink having a plurality of mounting holes and screw holes so that an electric fan can be directly affixed to the heat sink with screw bolts and the heat sink can be directly affixed to a circuit board with screws without using any other retaining or mounting devices. Further, because the heat sink is a one-piece member, the overall cooling device structure is simplified, and its manufacturing cost is significantly reduced.

Further, the present invention enables an electric fan to be steadily affixed to the top side of the heat sink, preventing the problem of being unable to affix the electric fan due to radiation fin deformation. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A heat sink comprising: a base block, a plurality of upright panels horizontally outwardly extended from said base block, said base block and said upright panels having each having a flat top surface thereof kept in flush with one another, each two adjacent said upright panels defining with said base block a space, a plurality of radiation fins respectively extended from the periphery of said base block and two opposite lateral sides of each of said upright panels and respectively suspended in each said space between each said two adjacent upright panels, a mounting member located at a distal end of each said upright panel remote from said base block, a sub-upright panel extended from one side of each said upright panel adjacent to the mounting member of the respective upright panel, and a screw-connection member located at a distal end of each said sub-upright panel remote from the respective said upright panel.
 2. The heat sink as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said mounting member is a hollow post having a C-shaped cross section and defining therein an axially extended mounting hole.
 3. The heat sink as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said screw-connection member is a hollow post having a C-shaped cross section and defining therein an axially extended screw hole.
 4. The heat sink as claimed in claim 1, wherein the radiation fins suspending in each said space are equally arranged in parallel.
 5. The heat sink as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base block, said upright panels and said sub-upright panels have the same height.
 6. The heat sink as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said upright panel defines with the associating said sub-upright panel a contained angle smaller than 180°. 